samisma

I've already done a lot of my shopping, so it'll be slightly less this year. last year i got quite a few big ticket items. i'm going to be getting two big items this year though (hopefully, if there is a good deal on what I want) so I've been saving for them. I also already have two holiday jobs lined up in addition to my normal one so I'll have extra shopping money.

+1 lol I'm actually using the shirt to gage my weight loss! everyone asks me about it whenever I wear it too. --- hmm. i bet i can start gathering store hours by the end of august..... and have them confirmed by end of september. i know a lot of places are already planning their big bf events. my new next door neighbor is actually the manager of the walmart by me, maybe i can get an inside scoop!

Yesterday I got: 3 Toddler Circo Brand Puzzles for $2.88 each 1 Full Size Bed Sheet Set - $4.98 3 Toddler Shirts - $0.75 each 3 Toddler Shorts - $0.75 each 1 Toddler Dress - $0.75 1 Welcome Mat - $2.98 3 4packs of Lemon Izze - $2.73 each There were more bed sets on sale but they were only 50% off. Their lawn/patio furniture was all at the 30% off rate. I'll have to keep checking back on them as I need patio furniture. They had almost 2 whole aisles of clearanced toys!! I didn't see anything that I wanted for dd, but i MIGHT go back to grab some for her little friends' birthdays.

Mary-Ellen - I love DirectTv - I've had comcast and Cox before and nothing compares to directtv in my opinion (so far). JohnnyLarue - I'm motivated out of paranoia. I really don't want to face any negative consequences such as late fees, losing my cable deposit ($200), or worse. It's also making me nervous because part of my financial aid package is loans - if they do report to a CA as another poster mentioned it could seriously hurt me. And my pride can't handle being accused of stealing cable. Although, at least with that I've documentation to prove otherwise but still. By this point in the game I should've received 2 bills, my 3rd bill should be received in the next week - but instead nothing. It's a little nerve-wracking for me.

I'm not sure how else to track it.. I've talked to customer service for both Qwest & DirectTV monthly now (ok, a lil more than monthly.. i'm a spazz) asking them what is going on but they don't know. Today as I was doing my 6 month purge (where I go through my paperwork and purge stuff from the previous 6mos that I don't need to retain) I found the original paperwork from when they came and installed the dish. So I called armed with the order number from the installation and was told by qwest that they still had no record of it! So I called the guy who actually installed my dish and he was equally baffled and said he would search through his files to find out what is going on. Work is closed on friday for the holiday so I think I'm going to drive up to one of the many qwest locations that dot the town. There's even one within walking distance. I'm not sure if I'm allowed in these places or if it's just for employees but... meh. at least I can bring all my paperwork with me and they can make copies etc. I also asked directtv to send all my information over to qwest again but the CS agent wasn't sure if that was allowed. (?)

will that help me later when they finally fix their mistake? i think i'm the only wacko out there begging a company to bill them for services...

Ok. Now, I'm all for saving a buck etc. But this is ridiculous. Back in May I ordered DirectTv through Qwest for my appt. They came out May 3rd and installed my dish etc (putting a hole through my outside wall/pantry closet!) and charged me $30 for the tripod the dish had to go on. I was irritated about the $30 then, but now it's not so big of a worry. The big worry is that since I ordered the tv, since it started - I've yet to receive a bill for it. My monthly bill is supposed to be $34.99 plus tax every month, and I was supposed to receive my first bill by May 10th (per the installation guy). I also have phone through Qwest and this was considered bundling my services. So each bill since then has only had my phone charges. I've called Qwest but they can't find any record of my cable and have told me that maybe DirectTV hasn't submitted it to them yet. So I keep calling DirectTV asking them what the deal is, but they gave me the list of dates that they submitted it to Qwest - and Qwest has been paying my monthly bill. Apparently how it works is that Qwest pays DirectTV and then I'm supposed to pay Qwest after that.. I'm not sure. But how Qwest can't find any record of it... especially since that first month I ordered two things from PPV (sports - no dirty stuff)... Everyone, including my parents, keep telling me not to knock it, to not look a gift horse in the mouth etc etc. But this is stressing me out. I don't want them to come back one day and say you knew about this blah blah blah and you've been stealing cable. And I also am fearful that when they finally get it figured out that I'll have the bill from hell and with late fees etc etc tacked on. I've been setting aside the monthly cost of the service every month since it was installed waiting for the bill to come, but nothing. So I had them resend my security code for Qwest and I went online to look at my account - according to it/them I don't have DirectTV or any cable service. Just my landline is on there. I call every month asking about my phone bill, last month I called 3 times and I document my call each time.. But I don't know what to do and I don't want this to come back at me like a tornado of trouble!! Anyone with any advice/ideas to help? And I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I couldn't decide if it went here, financial, or tech...

Thank you!! I'm going to go check out Big Lots and Sams Club today!! I just found out that costco has a 'home outlet' center nearby too. I didn't realize that Big Lots sells furniture, I've never been in it even though I work in a store 2 doors down from it! I'm so excited!

Just curious if anyone could recommend a good and very affordable/budget friendly store to purchase furniture? I'm moving at the end of the month and am searching for a wood kitchen table (preferrably round or oval) & chairs, a sofa & a recliner (or a sectional) and an entertainment center. basically i need to furnish the kitchen and family room. everything else (bedrooms) i've got covered and actually.. I've too much furniture for.. i don't want to die from the shock of purchasing this stuff though. i've been stalking craigslist for weeks, but the items are normally absolutely horrible or too gross to even put in the back of a truck - or i'm beaten to the punch by someone else (or outbid).. any recommendations or ideas of where to go/look?

ok. so maybe i'm over-reacting in my thread title. but i am irritated. i am a loyal kohls shopper. i love going there, and the deals they offer to cardholders sweetens the deal. so i went there on the 23rd in search of 2 things: a locket, and a digital photo keychain. after swallowing the sticker shock i got one locket, 10k gold. the price tag said $225, but 60% off, and I got an additional 30% off for being a cardholder. So I thought ok, it's more than I planned on, but it's still a good deal. Paid about $44 after tax. They were out of the keychains, so I head next door to walmart. They have the keychains, and out of curiousity I take a peak at their jewelry counter. Not only do they have more selection, but they have the exact same locket that I just purchased - and it's every day price is $24. They had another locket, that was even nicer, and larger, and it was 14k and it was only $28. Again, every day price. I bought the nice locket AND the keychain. So the kohls locket is being returned today. But I know better now, I'll be watching Kohl's prices closely. Their sale price + my cardholder discount was still way more than walmart. I'm not a walmart fan, but what on earth is Kohl's playing at by trying to say that their locket is originally $225? How much of a markup is that? I took photos of the one at walmart next to the price and sent it along with an email to kohls. But I still felt the need to rant. Sorry. I guess I've learned an important lesson. Unless it's clearanced at Kohls, it won't be going in my cart.

are there still elves needed? i'm volunteering if you need me. :)

Thank you to my OE & my Secret Santa!! Yesterday was an all around crummy day, but when I got home not only did I have mail - but it was the packages you sent!! My OE sent me cookies (yum!) and an ornament that I can put two pictures in (One side will be my dd, the other side will be my cat!). My secret santa went above and beyond! All the books from the Left Behind series that I haven't read yet, a Santa Mr. Potato Head (that dd promptly took off with!), and I love love love the Mickey Mouse ornament. I hadn't seen that one yet, and I collect mickey ornaments. So thank you!! I wish I could stay home from work today and start reading, it's perfect weather (raining!) for it. Instead I'm bringing it with me to work. Thank you again! And thanks for the yummy cookies!

according to my tracking #s both my secret santa & my ornament exchange person have received their gifts... but haven't posted yet.

I gave you my dc's/tracking #s on 12/6... but no '...' for me.

ornament & secret santa were 'shipped' today. the delivery carrier will not be picking them up until monday though (not using usps) should arrive at the homes between weds-fri

thanks for the link MathGirl!!! I'm going to give some of those a try. We're having a neighborhood block party for christmas and we all try to give little homemade gifts - i was struggling for ideas - you just seriously helped me out! :)

i'll be shipping out my ss & ornament on friday

all of them are local time for you or whomever reads it. :) in other words, if a store is opening at 5am PST it'll be 5am EST too. make sense? i am not going to be able to get the doorbuster/early bird times listed folks. with all the storming and minor flash flooding that we had yesterday and today it blew a few of the things in our circuit breaker, so i had to carry the computer upstairs in order to get online. not easy since i'm not talking about a laptop. doesn't look like it'll be fixed before monday. so i've done as much as i can this year, which is about the same as last year. hopefully next year i can do 2x as much!

I'm spending $5 on each teacher (dd has 4 counting her OT). the gifts: coffeemugs with a pack of hot chocolate, a chocolate square, a candy cane swizzle stick, a chocolate dipped spoon etc all packed into the mug. and then each teacher gets a card with dd's hand prints on it that are used to make moose antlers (two handprints, i draw a moose kissy face and to the side it says "Merry Kissmoose!")

if anyone is interested, or would like them - i've the ad proofs for Dec 2nd, Dec9th, and Dec16th. i can post up the images here if they're wanted. :) i also have the 'after christmas' sale ad proof.

we very rarely get rain, i think the last time was in august or september... it is POURING out right now. checked the forecast and it's supposed to be thunderstorms and pouring tomorrow too!

Arci I will try to get ot the doorbusters. I'm about to walk out the door to go to work and won't be home until 8pm my time (az time). so it might not get up there to very late tonight.

thanks! her teachers actually recommended it :) there are other things i'm looking for, but haven't found yet. like big lacing beads (that she can't choke on), and remember the old wooden pictures you'd thread a shoelace through? but i don't think they make that stuff anymore.

ohhhh they got smart and put a limit on the amount of diapers you can buy!! i got in line last year at 2 am - just for those diapers. filled a few shopping carts. i'm on our last box now actually, it's almost empty. am wondering if this is going to include the especially for baby training diapers? if it is, i'll go get a couple of boxes and send some family up there to get some as well.

1. DD 2. Mom 3. Dad 4. Brother 5. DD's Nana 6. Godson 7. GD Secret Santa 8. Mommy Group Secret Santa 9. A woman I met who lives in a retirement complex. She's pretty far from home & lonely.